NFT Marketing 101 (12 Epic Strategies for Growth)

Do you want to know what uber-successful NFT projects like Invisible Friends, Doodles, and Moonbirds all have in common?

(Aside from that they all sold tens of millions of dollars worth of NFTs…)

Well, these projects didn’t just get lucky. 

Nope. These projects made millions in sales in mere minutes because they all understood one crucial thing… 

All of these projects knew that to sell out an NFT project in 2022 you need an EPIC marketing strategy that tackles both Web2 AND Web3. 

In this article, we’ll give you a peek into the marketing strategies of the best NFT projects from around the world. We’ll also give you an insider look into the best platforms to market your NFT project, so you can take your project, and your community, to the moon and beyond.

What is an NFT?

NFT stands for ‘non-fungible token’.

Simply put, a non-fungible token is a piece of code that gives you proof of ownership over a digital asset. 

NFTs can be art, profile pictures, access to communities, a receipt for the purchase of a physical t-shirt, a deed to a house, and anything in between. 

The real magic of NFTs is their transparency, self-executing contracts, and ability to create immense value for their owners. 

You can learn more about NFTs in our complete guide. 

Should you hire an NFT marketing agency for your NFT project?

Just like everything in the world of business, the bigger your team, and the more expertise they have, the higher your chances are for success. 

For this reason, most of the top NFT projects in the world have chosen to partner with a top-notch NFT agency. 

NFT agencies like First Page have experience building strong communities, increasing crucial exposure, and converting cold leads into blazing hot superfans of your NFT project. 

But on the other hand, if you don’t have the resources to hire an NFT marketing agency, then you’ll need to come up with an internal strategy yourself. 

This is exactly what this article will help you with. 

We recommend taking everything slowly – don’t try to bite off more than you can chew. Start by identifying a handful of NFT marketing platforms that you know well or that you can quickly learn, and focus relentlessly on those. As your project builds and you begin to generate more hype, you can then look into expanding your team, hiring freelancers, or working with an agency. 

Web3 marketing vs Web2 marketing

Web3 is changing the internet as we know it.

Built on the blockchain, and catapulted by Ethereum, Web3 is going to introduce a new internet to the world – one built on crypto, digital wallets, and enhanced privacy and security.

But while Web3 is revolutionizing technology, it’s a slow process, and we are only in the early stages. While many NFT enthusiasts are active on Web3, 99% of internet users around the world are still best reached via Web2.  

This means that to successfully launch your NFT project, you will need an NFT marketing strategy that combines the best of Web2 and Web3. 

The Best Web3 NFT marketing strategies

Let’s take a deep dive into some of the best Web3 NFT marketing strategies so you can see how some of the best NFT projects are exploding their following (and their sales). 

Have a unique roadmap

In the NFT-world, your roadmap is the equivalent of your business model. 

But as opposed to the traditional business models (which aren’t published), your roadmap should be live on your website, and be transparent for all who want to see it. 

Roadmaps aren’t a ‘should-have’ for your NFT project – they are 100% a ‘must-have’.

NFT enthusiasts will want to know the details of your project. How is the timeline? What can they expect before after the mint? What parts of your project will be launched, and what stages of funding? 

The more detailed, interesting, and unique your roadmap is, the more hype you can expect to follow your project. 

Provide great utility and value

Unless you have a world-renowned artist or brand that you are collaborating with, your NFT project will live or die by the value that it brings to your audience. 

Start by focusing on your community. What are the strengths of your community? What are the interests of your community? How can you provide value to your community?

One of the best ways to generate ideas for your community is by visiting other NFT communities. Join their Discord server, check out the various channels, and write down the pros and cons of each community until you have a strong idea of what to execute. 

Host AMAs

Usually done on Discord, an AMA (‘ask me anything’) is a great way to create strong bonds with your community. 

Airdrops / Bounties / Giveaways / Whitelists

One of the easiest ways to grow your community is by motivating your current community to spread the word about your project.  

And the best way to do this? Rewards!

Discord allows you to easily track your members’ recruitment efforts. You can create a list of rewards based on activity and recruitment – the more people a member brings to your community, the more they will be rewarded.

This can be done with Airdrops, bounties, giveaways, or by offering whitelist access to your mint. 

The best Web2 marketing strategies 

While Web3 is all the rage right now, the truth is that Web2 is still the web as the world knows it. Heck, even the most avid Web enthusiasts still use Web2 on a daily basis. 

That’s why Web2 marketing is the most important aspect of your NFT marketing strategy. This is how you bring your project to completely new audiences around the globe, and at scale. 

Get on Twitter!

Here’s a good rule of thumb for NFT projects – if you aren’t on Twitter, then you basically do not exist. 

It’s true. Twitter is the center of the NFT-universe. It’s where NFT-legends are made and NFT-failures meet their doom. 

This is because of the NFT crowd on Twitter. They are loud, enthusiastic, and they LOVE NFTs.

Which is exactly why you need to be on Twitter. If your project is truly great, it’s very likely that the NFT crowd will notice it, therefore bringing more attention to your overall campaign. 

Go with SEO

When it comes to your NFT-marketing-checklist, SEO absolutely needs to be on the top. By investing in quality SEO for your website, you’ll ensure that your website is at the top of Google’s rankings, and that no impersonators will rip off potential community members. 

At a minimum, you need to make sure to structure your website for Google Search, get your website published on online directories, publish high quality pages and blog posts, optimize your site for mobile, and to register your NFT website with GMB (Google my Business).

By doing this, you’ll give your website the best chance to rank highly on Google. 

PR is always your friend

Be sure to reach out to a few publications on websites that have overlapping interests with your community to see if they will publish an article about your project. 

But don’t just try the world’s biggest NFT/crypto sites – they are too oversaturated.

Instead, try and find niche sites. They are easier to get exposure on and can also convert much better.  

Email marketing reigns supreme

Let’s be honest… Discord isn’t always a great user experience. It can move super fast, and lots of information can get lost in the mix.

The best way to offset this? Send emails! Emails have much higher engagement rates than social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and they can also increase your overall conversion rates. 

It should be noted that this only applies to you if you already have a list that is associated with your NFT drop. Never, ever, ever buy an email list. 

Go for gold on Reddit

Reddit marketing is great because the user base can be extremely engaged, and marketing on Reddit can be free!

Simply visit some of the most popular NFT subreddits such as r/OpenSea, r/NFTs, and r/NFTsMarketplace. 

IMPORTANT! Be sure that you follow the rules of each subreddit. For instance, on r/OpenSea you can promote NFT giveaways, but on r/NFTsMarketplace you cannot. If you break the rules of a subreddit, it won’t be a good look for your NFT project as a whole. 

PPC for NFTs?

While Google has implemented restrictions on crypto-related advertising (NFTs included), platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are cool with crypto ads, and are effective ways to increase awareness for your NFT project. 

But be careful – advertising with platforms like Facebook can get expensive, especially if you aren’t sure what you are doing. We always recommend hiring a professional agency to help you strategize and execute your Facebook and Instagram ads. 

Quora – an oldie but a goodie

Marketing on Quora is much more powerful than many people think – especially when it comes to NFT marketing. 

Try to search through popular Quora threads about NFTs and be sure to provide immense value with any answers that you provide. If you do that, then it’s totally acceptable to insert small plugs about your NFT project. 

Influencer marketing

While Influencer marketing can be extremely powerful, the truth is that it’s trickier than it looks, especially in the NFT industry.

We recommend creating a list of influencers that you’d like to work with, and then cross-checking their engagement to make sure their influence is as strong as it seems to be. You can do this with an ‘eyeball’ test, or you can run their Twitter profiles through premium software like SparkToro. 

Final thoughts on NFT marketing

Just like starting any business, your NFT project needs a sound marketing strategy. The more thorough your strategy and the better it’s executed, the more likely your project will get in front of the right audience and become the next legendary NFT collection!

If you wish to learn more about the best marketing strategies for your NFT project, be sure to reach out to one of our Digital Strategists. You can also review our NFT marketing services.